Thomas Tackles Thanksgiving Traditions

As Autumn rushes in with cold winds and fallen leaves, we sit around our fireplaces watching football and waiting for the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it’s time to take a look at some of the traditions people have for this holiday.

Thanksgiving’s most prominent tradition is the Thanksgiving feast. It is fair to say that most people get together with their families on Thanksgiving to share a huge meal of corn, cranberries, potatoes, and of course, a turkey. This tradition obviously began with the pilgrims, but most of us do not know the reason why we celebrate by eating turkeys.

The pilgrims chose turkeys to provide the meat for the feast simply because they were the most economical option. Turkeys were plentiful in the Plymouth region and do not produce edible eggs, unlike chickens. This meant that there was no real downside to harvesting a large number of turkeys.

Another common Thanksgiving tradition is the breaking of the turkey’s furcula, commonly called the wishbone. Interestingly, this tradition can be traced back to ancient times.

The Romans, famous for their superstitions, believed that birds hold special supernatural powers, which could be stolen by breaking the bird’s wishbone. This superstition became so popular that it was carried into modern times, where the tradition of wishbone-breaking has evolved into a competition between two people. The two participants state their wish, then break the bone. Whoever ends up with the larger half will have their wish granted and be blessed with good luck.

Another long-lasting Thanksgiving tradition is the Turkey Trot. The Turkey Trot began as an 8K foot race held in Buffalo, New York, in 1896. The race started at a YMCA building and was advertised as a way to burn off some calories prior to the evening’s Thanksgiving feast. The race was so popular it has become a nation-wide tradition where participants around the country line up to earn their meal.

For people who cannot, or do not want, to see their families, there’s always Friendsgiving. This tradition is the most recent of the bunch, having manifested somewhere in the late 2000s. For this tradition, people throw parties and invite their friends to their homes as opposed to visiting family. There is no real set of rules for these parties, but some common things people do include exchanging gifts and engaging in Thanksgiving-themed activities. Think Thanksgiving bingo or charades. Of course, most people also partake in the customary Thanksgiving feast, but the focus is more on socializing with friends than it is sharing a large meal with family.

No matter what traditions you follow or what sort of feast you plan on, make sure to have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

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